Siquerra Pender, who goes by Kiki, 12, receives instructions for her birdhouse-painting project from Andrew Torlage of Wonder Connection.
a sense of
wonder Wonder Connection’s hands-on science and nature programs brighten hospital stays for kids by nurturing curiosity and joy By Ren e e A m broso P h o to g rap hy by Jo h n M ic h ael Si m pson
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chapelhillmagazine.com
April 2021
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ucculents, instant snow and bright green slime would usually be out of place in utilitarian hospital rooms. But these are just a few of the items that volunteers and staff of the nonprofit Wonder Connection bring to the bedsides of kids and teens receiving care. The idea blossomed back when Katie Stoudemire volunteered at children’s hospitals before and after graduating from Davidson College in 2003. She noticed that the kids she visited were often bored, scared and largely cut off from the natural world. Growing up in Atlanta, Katie loved the outdoors and attended nature camps. “I started bringing natural objects with me to the hospital and was amazed at the positive results,” she said in a 2017 interview with Miss CEO. Katie realized that connecting hospitalized kids with the wonders of nature and fostering their curiosity with science-based activities could make a significant impact on their wellbeing. She founded her organization in 2006 with a discretionary grant from the Oak Foundation. Initially known as Healing and Hope Through Science, the program started as a partnership with the North Carolina Botanical Garden. “What really began as a thoughtful gesture has developed into a dream of [Katie’s] which is to run her own nonprofit organization where young kids can participate in science and nature programs,” says Kirstin Marshall, Wonder Connection’s philanthropy manager.